I never thought that at the age of 13, I’d find myself
\non an extended road trip, let alone documenting it in
\na travelogue. Little did I know that both the road
\njourney and writing about it would be full of
\nexploration and discovery. Life truly has a way of
\nsurprising us!<\/p>\n
So, why and how did I write this travelogue? Well! After I returned from
\nthe trip, I spent days reflecting on my 18-day-long unforgettable road trip
\nto North India. Every time I shared snippets of my road trip with friends
\nand family, a recurring feeling nagged at me: I wasn’t truly conveying
\nthe essence of it all. The more I talked, the more I felt the weight of all the
\nimportant experiences I was omitting \u2013 the dramatic shifts in weather, the
\nbreathtaking challenges of high altitudes, the thrill of adventure, the
\ndemanding steep hills and winding roads, the captivating beauty of the
\nlandscapes, the various hotels we stayed in, the majestic rivers and
\nmountains, the diverse mindsets of the people I encountered, the profound
\nand heartfelt conversations (and even the challenging confrontations with
\nmy parents that changed my perspective about a lot of things in life), the
\nreal-life learnings that helped me discover myself, and so much more… It
\nfelt like an endless list…
\nI realised, casual conversations simply can’t capture the true depth of my
\nexperiences. And no description can truly do justice to the breathtaking
\nnatural beauty I saw. Even words in writing might fall short of the bountiful<\/p>\n
beauty of the picturesque landscapes. That\u2019s when I decided to write down
\nmy experiences in a travelogue.
\nMy parents’ unwavering motivation was another significant reason behind
\nmy decision to document that unforgettable road journey. Seeing my deep
\npassion for reading and writing, they consistently encouraged me to find
\ninspiration in my great-grandparents, Prof. C. V. Raval and Mrudula
\nBaa. It fills me with pride when my parents and extended family in
\nAhmedabad express that they see a reflection of his qualities in me. This
\nrecognition also in stills a deep sense of responsibility to honour and carry
\nforward the legacy of such a respected figure in our family. This book
\nmarks my first endeavour to follow his footsteps and begin my writing
\njourney.
\nAfter finally deciding to write down the travelogue, I began working on it,
\nbriefly writing about each destination explored with my family. However,
\ndue to the year-long schedule of school activities and exams, it was getting
\ndifficult to bring all my thoughts into proper shape and form. When I
\nthought of crafting the whole book, it felt challenging and overwhelming,
\neven though I\u2019ve been exclusively participating and representing my
\nschool in various writing assignments.
\nAnd that\u2019s when I met Sakshi Ma\u2019am, a published author and spiritual
\nteacher, who became my guiding light. Under her mentorship, the journey
\nof writing this book began. As they say, when you want something with
\nall your heart and when your intentions are pure, the universe
\nconspires to help you achieve it. We dedicated ourselves to it, spending<\/p>\n
countless hours in discussion and writing. Her insightful brainstorming
\nsessions were instrumental in helping me articulate my thoughts and
\nfeelings with clarity and depth. Apart from being a great writer herself, she
\npossesses a remarkable ability to understand my emotions; it often felt like
\nshe could read my mind. I couldn’t have completed this book without her
\ninvaluable guidance.
\nAs I reflected, I realised that writing this book wasn’t just about recounting
\nmy experiences; it was also about sharing a message deeply important to
\nme. I saw this as an opportunity to connect with readers and leverage this
\nplatform to promote the global importance of \u2018Responsible Tourism.\u2019
\nMy debut book, \u2018READ THE ROADS\u2019, is more than just a travelogue
\ndetailing my 18-day road journey across North India, including Amritsar,
\nSrinagar, Kargil, Leh-Ladakh, and Manali. It also delves into the
\nexperiences and valuable lessons I gathered along this enriching journey.
\nWhile there are numerous blogs, vlogs, and travel guides available on the
\nInternet, what makes this book special are the moments of reflection and
\nlearning that I experienced while visiting various places. I am sure that
\nreaders will find the insightful conversations I had with my parents, as
\nenjoyable and thought-provoking as I did.
\nI am sure the book will take you not only through picturesque landscapes
\nthat you would want to escape to, but will also provide you an insight into
\ndifferent ways of living, broadening your understanding of the world as<\/p>\n
well as about yourself. So, get ready to journey through the mountainous
\nNorth India and embark on a personal discovery alongside me.
\nHaving personally experienced an 18-day road trip through North India, I
\ncan certainly say that road trips are more than just driving or making new
\nmemories; it\u2019s more about learning to see the world through a different
\nlens and finding the new \u2018YOU\u2019.
\nI’m grateful to God for giving me the chance to go on one of the most
\nadventurous travel experiences with my family, and I wish for more such
\ntravel experiences in the future!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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